Coaxial cables for transmitting electronic signals have been widely used for many decades including particularly coaxial cables having an outer conductive grounding and shielding structure in the form of small conductive wires woven into a braided sleeve. The use of braiding makes the cable flexible and at the same time offers a degree of protection against signals being induced into the coaxial cable to interfere with signals carried therein, or, alternatively, protecting against radiation outwardly of said cable due to signals carried therein. Additionally, the braided conductors can be employed for grounding purposes, carrying the circuit grounds necessary to define a coaxial structure. More recently, coaxial cable has, for a variety of purposes including the need for higher and higher densities, been made relatively small. By this is meant that cables heretofore a quarter of an inch or larger in diameter are now regularly found for the 50, 75 and 90 OHM characteristic impedance cables on the order of a tenth of an inch in diameter.
Very small coaxial cables include very small constituent parts making the cables difficult to prepare for termination. Particularly difficult is the removal of segments of braid which is frequently formed of conductors in diameter only a few thousandths of an inch per conductor. Braid of this type is not only small but quite delicate and difficult to handle with respect to both cutting, stripping, removal and manipulation for termination purposes.
The typical approach to handling cable of the foregoing types is to utilize great precision, jigs, fixtures, and to experience a process which is both time consuming, expensive and fraught with low yields due to damage to the cable, braid, and the cable itself. To place this background in further perspective, reference is made to a typical 75 OHM coaxial cable construction now being widely used in industry for the transmission of data signals. The cable has an outer diameter on the order of 0.105 inches maximum with an outer jacket of PVC on the order of 0.012 inches in thickness surrounding a braid comprised of Number 38 AWG tin plated copper conductors which surrounds a drain conductor on the order of 0.012 inches in diameter. This is laid beneath the braid and over a dielectric sheath comprised of a foamed high density polyethylene surrounding a central signal conductor on the order of 0.010 inches in diameter. The drain conductor is in contact with the braid along the length thereof and serves to extend the grounding path of the cable therealong. In general, cable of this type must be cut to length, both ends being severed with subsequent steps including exposure of the central conductor, removal of portions of the braid and portions of the drain conductor and removal of portions of the outer jacket or sheath accomplished as part of a stripping and cable preparation prior to termination to coaxial connectors for one or both ends of the cable. In all of this, it is important not to have loose or cut ends of the braid in the position to effect a shorting of the cable, to avoid nicking or cutting through the cable dielectric or nicking or cutting the central conductor and drain wires which could result in a subsequent breakage and loss of cable integrity.